Oscillating sheave support



March 27, 1951 w. c. SOLE OSCILLATING SHEAVE SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1946 fnven for: Mllzarm 6. Sole March 27, 1951 w, c, SOLE 2,546,794

OSCILLATING SHEAVE SUPPORT Filed May 28, 1946 2 SheetsSheet 2 v jm/enf nr: Wif/Zam C. 505G.

Patented Mar. 27 1951 1 UNITED STAT OSCILLATING SHEA-YE sUrPoRr William 0. Sole, Brett's, eta. ApplicationiMay fi, 1946;"SerialNo; 6:72.293

' 1' Claim. (01.25am;

invention relates toasupport for carrying a hoisting cable over a sheave from aswinding reelor from a sideways moving object'as in the case of an oil well derrick or a tow-line for tug boats or for propelling street cars as well as for other similar purposes.

The main object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the support that it will prevent the cable from rubbing on the side rims of the sheave in whatever angular direction the cable is fed to or from the sheave. And furthermore, to guide the cable on leaving the sheave to descend along a vertical center line and without rubbing either the rims or the casing.

These and other objects and advantages of the device will be made clear from the following description with the aid of the attached drawing, which forms part of this application.

Figure l is a top plan view of the hoisting sheave and support assembled;

Figure 2 is a view in section on a plane along line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front View seen from the right side of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fractional view in front elevation of the hoisting sheave and the swinging support assembled at the top of a two pole mast for oil drilling rig; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic front view indicating the fleet angle of the wound cable as passing over the sheave.

The following main features of the device are claimed:

First-The vertical axis, around which the support swings, remains at all times stationary, and extends from a point in the horizontal plane through the axis of the sheave, which intersects the center line of the hoisting cable, to a point such as the center of a hole drilled in the ground for the cable.

Second.The swinging end of said support always aligns itself automatically to the different positions of the cable on the drum.

Third. lin other words, the entering and leaving points of the cable around the sheave always remain in one vertical plane on the sheave, although oscillating, so as not to cross over the rim thereof.

Fourth.The swinging end of the support always travels along a fiat, horizontal path around the axis of its vertical spindle.

This device consists of four main parts; the sheave ID, the swinging support II, the hinge bracket l2, and the track or bridge piece B for the swinging support.

' Of these main parts the sheave l0 is ofany known type with a plain, circumferential groove between upstanding side or flangesand mounted with its hub to rotate an axle I6 carried in bearings provided in the side walls 1'! of the support I l.

The latter has a straight horizontal top surface which at one end terminates at its rear, flat end with a boss l8 into which a spindle member 19 is secured, as by threads. This forms the vertical axis around which the support swings.

At its other or forward flat end is provided another boss 20 in which is similarly secured a horizontal pivot 2| for a roller 22.

This roller is adapted to travel on a circular track 23 with flat, horizontal top face formed on the bridge piece [3. The track l3 terminates at each end with an upstanding lug or abutment 24 at each end forming a stop for the roller 22 to strike against to limit the side swing of the support ll. Each lug 24 has a side ear 25 for securing the bridge piece I 3 firmly as by bolts to the top of the mast head 26, across the path of the roller 22.

As already stated, the spindle 19 provided at the rear end of the swinging support I l is carried in a vertical bearing 21, of the hinge bracket I2 and is secured in position therein by lock nut 28 permitting turning of said spindle in the bearing 21. The hinge bracket [2 has a horizontally directed trunnion 29 at each end, by means of which it is mounted near the top of the mast head 26.

Referring now particularly to Figures 4 and 5, of the drawings, the relative positions of the parts and their cooperation is as follows: from a reel or spool 30 at the base of the mast 3!, the cable 32 shifts from one end to another when unreeling. A so-called fleet angle A is then formed between the extreme right and left stretches of the cable from the apex on the sheave above. Evidently, it is of greatest advantage to keep this angle as small as possible to prevent the cable from running against the side flanges of the sheave.

The outer side of the sheave is now caused to swing around the vertical axis of spindle l9 on the opposite side of the sheave, in order to follow the shiftin of the cable. The apex of the fleet angle is actually now located at the tangent point A between the center line of the cable and the vertical axis of the spindle 19. The width of the fleet angle at the line of swing of the cable is thus narrowed by the length of that line 3 and accordingly all chance of cable rubbing avoided against the sheave flanges.

The term cable used herein and in the claim is intended to include ropes whether made of hemp metal wire as well as tow-lines and the one side of the uprights, a horizontally disposed arcuate track member having upwardly extending curved opposite end'portions and secured to the opposite side of the uprights in downwardly spaced relation to the bracket, a vertical bearing in the central portion of the bracket, a sheave support between the uprights, a spindle rotatably secured in said bearing and extending below the bracket, the lower end of said spindle being rigidly connected to one end of the sheave sup- Y port to provide a pivotal connection of the sheave support to the bracket, a horizontal pivot pin extending from the opposite end of the sheave support, a roller carried by the pivot pin and adapted. to roll on the top of said arcuate track between'the curved end portions to support said opposite end of the sheave support, said opposite curved end portions of the arcuate track limiting the movement of the roller, and a r0- tatable sheave removably mounted in said sheave support below the arcuate track and the bracket.

WILLIAM C. SOLE.

"file r this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 497L654 Grandpre May 16, 1893 627,769 Behr June 27, 1899 

